After shop-till-you drop Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and Cyber-Monday, came the less-known #GivingTuesday.

Groups such as the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, Lakeside Arts Park at the Dole, and Heroes for Hope have their sights set on community donations that will help them fund the work they do throughout the year.

One of the county’s newest NPOs, Hope Heroes NFP, jumped on the #GivingTuesday bandwagon.

“Prior to this year, we hadn’t even heard of #GvingTuesday.” Said Ryan Gergan, Hope Heroes NFP spokesperson. Hope Heroes NFP started in 2017 — originally as Hardest Hit Family Relief Fund just prior to the historic 2017 hurricane season, Las Vegas shooting massacre, Mexico City earthquakes, and catastrophic California wildfires. The founders of Hope Heroes NFP quickly realized how important their goals of providing relief and recovery assistance to families of major disasters would truly become.

#GivingTuesday started a few years before Hope Heroes NFP. Founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, #GivingTuesday soon became a phenomenon. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matched over $45 million for charitable organizations around the world through a Facebook outreach.

By setting aside a day to focus on charitable contributions, #GivingTuesday hopes people will consider this day as synonymous to giving as the other days are to buying.

December is the time of year when many people step up their charitable giving. The holidays stimulate people to become more introspective, count their blessings, and decide to help those less fortunate. It’s the last month of the year to give tax-deductable donations.

“With a year that effected so many, the need to reach out and give back as never been greater,” said Gergan. Hope Heros NFP’s #GivingTuesday Drive is still open. Proceeds go to help Puerto Rican’s impacted by Hurricane Maria. Find out more about their campaign at HopeHeroesNFP.org.

Even after #GivingTuesday, local churches, businesses and municipalities offer ways to help through Giving Trees, Toys for Tots or the iconic Salvation Army Santa. Chances to give are around every corner and on nearly every nonprofit Facebook page.

Here are a few tips for deciding how to give wisely.

Follow your passions: Roughly one million charities exist in this country. Don’t settle for an organization that isn’t a match for your beliefs and goals. There are charities that rescue pets, and charities that use pets to rescue people, there are music charities, literacy charities, charities for children, charities for athletes, charities for mothers of twins, and charities for senior citizens. If you have a passion, chances are there is a charity to match.

Ensure the charity is efficient, ethical and effective: Before you give to any charity this holiday season, be sure to check that the charity meets these three criteria: Financially solid, transparent and accountable with funds, and accomplishes goals that matches your intent. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (http://www.give.org) rates charitable organizations for Standards of Charity Accountability. Each describes its purpose, programs, fundraising, and governance.

Watch out for copy-cats. Sometimes disreputable charities use names similar to dependable and sound charities. Make sure you get the charity’s exact name, and then check them out.